Telephone fixture



Feb. 2, 1943. R. R. MATHIESON 2,310,032

TELEPHONE FIXTURE Filed Dec. 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet i INVENTOR, fi OOLF/C/f R Mgr/#550. BY m f/M A ffO/V/VfK Feb. 2, 1943. R R MATHIESQN 2,310,032

TELEPHONE FIXTURE Filed Dec. 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Prater Feb. 2; 1943' I Roderick Mathieson, Detroit. Mich.

;Application December 4, 1940, Serial No. 368,468

Claims. (01. 119 -149) This invention relates to telephone fixtures and the object of the invention is to provide a fixture arranged to hold the base of the telephone in one position and the receiver and transmitter of the telephone in another position so that the user has both hands free to handle letters, papers, blue prints or other data While carrying on a conversation over the telephone.

One of the particular objects of the invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the'telephone may be turned off or on without removing or replacing the receiver on the base of the telephone and which, at the same time, holds the receiver in position so that the user may listen or speak over the phone without utilizing his hands I to hold the receiver.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the receiver holding head may be adjusted to the desired position in relation to the remainder of the fixture to suit the desires of the user as to height or angle at which the receiver is held.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arm which when turned to the down position will shut off the telephone and which when turned to the up position will open the telephone circuit for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring actuated clamp, for holding the receiver, mounted on a ball joint on the fixture frame transmitter that a person may place his ear on the receiver while held in position by an arm which is adjustable in position to 'suit the particular needs of the user. upon the receiver A, the transmitter B is properly positioned to receive the wave impulses resulting from speech while both hands of the user may be otherwise employed. In its preferred form, the device consists of a base I having a flange 2 in which the base 3 of the telephone instrument may be positioned which base carries the usual dial 4. The shape of the flange corresponds to the peripheral shape of the bottom of the telephone base 3 and thus holds the telephone base in fixed position relative to the switch operating mechanism hereinafter more fully described.

From one side of the base I there is provided a standard 5 which receives the threaded end 6 0t at its upper end to a position above the telephone whereby the telephone receiver may be quickly clamped in position and adjusted to the desired angle for the user.

These objects and the several novel features of Fig. 4 is a, section through the supporting:

bracket and arm holding the receiver taken on line 4-4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5- .-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a section taken on 1ine 66 of Fig. 4.

The device is particularly adapted for support-- base 3, the arm terminating in a socketed end 9 which receives an extending pin [0 of a coupling element l I, said element at the upper end having the form of a half sphere l2 as shown in Fig..4. The arm I 3 supports a receiver at one end and at its other end has a half spherical portion M which is recessed'at l5 in which there is two similar plates I6 and I I between which is a spring washer l8 of a radially corrugated form. plates l6 and I! and washer l8 are centrally apertured to receive the body portion I9 of the screw 20 which has a head within the body of the half spherical member I4 and a recess 2| shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 to receive a wrench. The threaded end 22 of the screw is in threaded relation with the half spherical member I 4 and secures said half spherical members together while the spring washer restricts relative rotation. A greater or lesstension may be pro- 'vided between the members by tightening or loosening the screw.

The purpose of this jointed relation of the arms 1 and I3 is to provide for variably positioning the arm I3 on a horizontal line or at an angle to the horizontal and thearm may be swung about the with a circumferential groove 23 to receivea ball 24 which may be under alight or heavy pressure ing a modern type of telephone in which the receiver and the transmitter are secured to the axis of the pin In which is preferably provided of the screw 25 to restrict the freedom of rotation of the pin III in its socket. The pin 9 is preferably provided with a V notch in its lower end in By the user resting his ear The placing his ear against the telephone receiver which is held at the outer end of the arm 13 by a spring clip 26 which in turn is secured to the end 21 of the arm. The arm l3 comprises four parts, the main portion I3, the end portion 21, a portion 28, and the portion 29. The portion 28 has a fiat end part 3| lying in a slot at the end 30 of the main portion of the arm and is revolvable about the pin 32 which secures the member 28 in the slot. By tightening the screw, sufiicient pressure is applied to the part 3| to hold it in a fixed position. The element 29 has a fiat portion similarly secured in a slot of the end portion 21 of the arm by the screw 33. The end of the said connecting portion 29 is bored to receive the annular grooved end 34 of the intermediate portion 28 to receive a ball 35 which is held in place by a set screw 36. This groove and ball arrangement permits rotation of the end 21 and receiver carried by the clip 26 about the axis of the arm 13 and when desirably positioned the screw 36 may be turned up to seat the ball 35 under pressure and hold thephone from turning about the longitudinal axis of the arm. Thus, the phone can be quite rigidly supported from turning either on the axis of the arm l3 or about the axis of the pin Ill and the arm l3 being held under spring pressure from turning on the axis of the pin IS the phone will remain in a set position sufliciently securely to permit the user to place his car under pressure against the receiver unless some undue pressure should be exerted.

In view of the fact that the joined receiver and transmitter are, in applicants arrangement of parts. held by the spring clip 26 and arm l3 and out of association with the switch mechanism it is necessary, in order to bring the phone into the receiving and transmitting circuit, (not here shown) that means be provided by which the switch mechanism in the phone base 3 may be opened or closed depending on whether the phone is to be used or is to be discontinued from use. For this purpose. I provide a switch operating mechanism comprising a base portion 31 which, as will be understood from Fig. 3, has an aperture to receive the standard 1 and is split at 38.-

A screw indicated by the dotted lines 39 is provided to clamp the base 31 in the vertically adjusted position on the rod 1. This supporting base 31 is bifurcated at the end opposite that receiving the standard 1 and the member 40 is pivotally secured therein. This member 40 has a terminal end portion 4| in the form of a hook enabling the bar to to be turned on its axis. This bar is provided with any appropriate means as, for instance, a cross bar 42 which has depending portions 43 and 44 to engage the switch operating means 45 and when turned down in the position shown in Fig. 1 the circuit is completed and when turned upwardly from such position the circuit is broken. The inner pivoted end of the arm 40 has a curved face 46 which is engaged by a spring pressed pin 41. The end of the arm is also provided with a lug 48 engaging the spring pressed pin 41 and thus in either the down position shown in Fig. 1 or in a raised position the spring holds the switch operator 40 either in the operative or inoperative position.

In use, the user merely raises the arm 40 to complete the circuit and then dials the number and places his ear in contact with the receiving end of the phone and without necessity of bolding any part of the instrument during an ensuing conversation. The operator is thus free to use [both hands in manipulation of papers or other matters while 'the phone conversation is continuing. At the conclusion of the conversation, the switch operating bar to is turned to the down position as shown in Fig. 1 breaking the circuit to the telephone.

From the foregoing description it is believed evident that my improved fixture for supporting a telephone provides a structure in which the receiver and transmitter may be rotated as a unit about the axis of the arm 13 to desired position and fixed in such position; that the provision of the supporting arm having the plurality of pivotally connected sections permits disposition of the receiver in various planes relative to the plane oftthe arm and that the arm may be varied in position relative to the horizontal and thus vary the distance of the receiver above the base I on which the telephone base 3 is supported; that the arm l3 and phone may be turned about a vertical axis thus enabling the base I to be positioned conveniently in respect to the user in his normal seated position relative to the desk on which the apparatus is positioned; and, by provision of the switch operating element 40 to make or break the electric circuit to the phone, it is possible to leave the phone constantly in position in its clip 28; that the various features and objects of the invention are attained by the structure and relationship of the parts described; and that various changes may be made in the structure and relationship of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: a

1. A fixture for a telephone set including a dialing unit, a switchmechanism for connecting the same in an electric circuit, and a united transmitting and receiving unit electrically connected in said circuit, comprising a base having an upstanding peripheral flange within which the bottom of the dialing unit practically fits, a substantially rigid vertical standard carried by the base and having an offset end portion, a coupling element rotatably supported by said oifset end to turn on a vertical axis, an arm having one end attached to the coupling element to turn on a horizontal axis, means on said last named arm for supporting said transmitting and receiving unit, means forming part of said arm providing for rotation and angular displacement of said transmitting and receiving unit to vary the position of the same in either a vertical or horizontal plane.

2. A fixture for a telephone set including a dialing unit, a switch mechanism for connecting the same in an electric circuit, and a united transmitting and receiving unit electrically connected in said circuit, said unit comprising a base for support of the dialing unit, a substantially rigid vertical standard carried by the base, an arm pivoted to turn on a horizontal axis and vertically adjustable on the standard for operating the switch mechanism of'the dialing unit, an arm pivoted to turn on a vertical axis on the said standard, means at the free end of the pivoted arm for support of the transmitting and receiving unit, and a universal joint structure providing for rotation and angular displacement of the said means relative to the axis of the arm supporting the same.

3. A fixture for a telephone set including a dialing unit, a manually operable switch mechanism for connecting the same in an electric circuit, and a united transmitting and receiving unit electrically connected in the circuit, the said fixture comprising a base for supporting the dialing unit, a substantially rigid standard secured to the base at one end and having an oflset portion, a clasp at the end of the offset portion for receiving the transmitting and receiving unit, means in the said oflset portion permitting rotation and angular displacement of the said end supporting the transmitting and receiving unit to turn in a horizontal or vertical plane, and a switch actuator carried by the standard.

4; A fixture for a telephone set including a dialing unit, a manually operable switch mechanism for connecting the same in an electric circuit, and

a united transmitting and receiving unit electrically connected in the circuit, the said fixture comprising a base for supporting the dialing unit, a substantially rigid standard secured to the base at one end and having an oil'set portion, a clasp at the end of the offset portion for receiving the transmitting and receiving unit, means in the said offset portion permitting rotation and angular displacement of the said end supporting the transmitting and receiving unit to turn in a horizontal or vertical plane, and adjustable means for fixing the transmitting and receiving unit in a desired position.

5. A fixture for a telephone set including a dialing unit, a manually operable switch mechanism for connecting the same in an electric circuit, and a united transmitting and receiving unit electrically connected in the circuit, the said fixture comprising a base for supporting the dialing unit, a vertical standard secured to the base at one end and having a substantially rigid ofiset portion extending over the base consisting of a part integral with the standard, and an adjustable part, means connecting the integral and adjustable parts whereby the said adjustable part may be turned about either a horizontal or a vertical axis, a clasp at the free end of the adjustable part for receiving the transmitting and receiving unit, means in said adjustable part permitting rotation and angular displacement of the said adjustable part relative to said integral part, and means at the end of'said adjustable part for support of a transmitting and receiving unit.

I RODERICK R. MATH'IESON. 

